One key only interlock



July 30, 1968 s. D. REED 3,394,883

ONE KEY ONLY INTERLocK Filed Nov. 18, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 @M am@ @MQW lJuly 30, 1968 s. D. REED 3,394,883

ONE! KEY ONLY INTERLOCK 'Filed Nov. 18, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. SPE/VCE? 0, @50

ATTORNEYS July 30, 1968 s. D. REED ONE KEY ONLY INTERLOCK Filed Nov. 18, 1964 A y, lupi l r L United States Patent 3,394,883 ONE KEY ONLY INTERLOCK Spencer D. Reed, Endicott, N.Y., assignor to Sensing Devices, Inc., Endicott, N.Y. Filed Nov. 18, 1964, Ser. No. 412,150 8 Claims. (Cl. 235 27) This invention relates to registering devices and in particular is directed to keyboard interlock mechanism for limiting the number of keys of the registering device which may be simultaneously depressed.

In the data registering art, it is common practice to provide a keyboard assembly which must be -operated by actuation of only one key at a time. Consequently, in the interest of accuracy, it is neces-sary to provide some sort of interlock mechanism which will permit only one key of the keyboard to be depressed at any given time. Whereas numerous arrangements are extant for accomplishing this result, a yreal need exists for a one-key-only interlock which is both simple and effective and which also allows freedom in the arrangement of key rows Within the bank of keys forming the keyboard. It is, accordingly, of primary concern herein to provide an interlock mechanism which meets these requirements.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide an interlock system which comprises a key row interlock cooperable with a row-to-row interlock so as to admit of but a single key depression within a bank of keys composed of a plurality of key rows.

Another object of this invention is to provide a key row interlock which is integrated within and forms part of the key row assembly, the key row interlock being intimately cooperative with other structures, particularly, the key stems, of the key row assembly. Specifically, the key row interlock performs a guiding function for the keys and is otherwise so related structurally to the keys and their supporting and guiding mechanism as to achieve simplicity and economy of construction without sacricing efficiency and effectiveness of operation.

Still another object of this inventionresides in an improved key row interlock mechanism which minimally increases the force required to depress an individual key. More particularly, the key row interlock according to this invention involves a train of row-to-row interlock actuators which are, in themselves, an interlock mechanism for their associated row; the arrangement of the parts being such that any tendency to binding of the key stems is obviated while, at the same time, very little effort is required to set`the train or a portion of the train of actuators in motion so as to achieve the interlock action.

Further, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved interlock assembly embodying a key row interlock operating in combination with a roW-to-row interlock, in which these entities are so related as to allow for various and diverse spacings between key rows without imposing restrictions either upon the simplicity or upon the efficiency of the apparatus. In this way, great latitude is permitted in the arrangement of key rows Within the bank of keys forming a particular keyboard.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the description hereinbelow and the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a keyboard unit and associated circuit components utilizing key row interlock mechanism according to the present invention and illustrating, in phantom lines, the row-to-row interlock mechanism cooperating with the key row interlock mechanism,

nin

and with portions of the key row interlock mechanism being omitted for the purpose of clarity;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the assembly as shown in FIG. l but illustrating the row-to-row interlock mechanism in full lines therein;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the keyboard assembly according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view ofthe assembly shown in FIGS. 1 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional View taken substantially along the plane of section line 5 5 in FIG. 2 and showing details of one of the key assemblies;

FIG. 6 is a horizontal section taken substantially along the plane of section line 6 6 in FIG. 2 illust-rating the interrelationship between the key row interlocks and the row-to-row interlock;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but illustrating one of the key row interlocks in entered position relative to the roW-to-row interlock; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken substantially along the plane of section line 8 8 in FIG. 7 and showing key stern interposition within the key row interlock mechanism.

With reference now more particularly to FIGS. l and 4, the reference character 10 indicates a mounting or keyboard plate which is provided with a plurality of rows 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 of individual openings 22 which receive and guide in part key elements such as those indicated generally by the reference character 24. The keys in each of the rows 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 are part of individual key assemblies as indicated by the reference characters 26, 28, 30, 32 and 34 and each of which assemblies embodies the principles according to Patent No. 3,259,806. Essentially, each of the assemblies 26, 28, 30, 32 and 34 includes a channel member having upper and lower legs 36 and 38 and an intervening web portion 40, the upper leg 36 of each being secured to the mounting plate 10 as by the fasteners 42. The key stems 44 forming the individual rows 24 are guided in part by the mounting plate 10 and in part by the lower leg 38 in the manner which may be best seen in FIG. 5. In FIG. 5, it will be seen that the corresponding opening 22 in the mounting plate 10 guides the upper portion of the key stern 44 whereas a similar opening, in registry with the corresponding opening 22 of the mounting plate 10 guides the lower end portion of the key stem 44. The upper leg 36 of the channel member, on the other hand, is notched as indicated by reference character 46 and thus does not wholly retain the key stem 44. The reason for this construction is to permit ready assembly of the separate key assemblies as is pointed out in my above mentioned patent.

Each of the key stems 44 is provided with intermediate rigidifying anges 48 along its opposite sides so as to rigidity and rminimize bending 0r exing of the key stems particularly in their central regions. Each key stern 44 is provided with a central opening or elongate slot such as that indicated by the reference character 50, see particularly FIG. 2, and received within each of these openings is a tension spring 52 having its lower extremity 54 suitably anchored to the key stem (FIG. 5) and having its upper end anchored to a hook member 56. The tension springs normally urge the key stems to upraised position substantially as is shown.

The hook members 56 are preferably formed as projections of a single angle member 58 for each row with the horizontal leg of each such angle member being secured to the upper leg 36 of the channel member and terminating short of the web 40 so as to form a guide or channel for receiving the upper edge of the printed circuit board 60 which also forms a part of each of the key assemblies. Similarly, an angle member 62 forms a lower channel or guide for the lower edge of the printed circuit board 60 substantially as is shown in FIG. 5. These two channels or guides permit endwise withdrawal and insertion of the printed circuit plates 60 and their associated insulating plates 64 in a manner more particularly defined in my aforesaid patent. Additionally, the upstanding leg 66 of each of the angle members 62 forms a guide or backup plate for a train or series of interlock actuators 68 associated with each of the key assemblies 26, 28, 30, 32 and 34.

As can be seen in FIG. 8, each of the actuators 68 is provided with a pair f legs 70 and 72 which straddle, with clearance, the web portions 74 of the lower channel leg 38 formed between the row of openings 76 in such bottom leg 38. It will be noted that the openings 76 are also the openings which receive the lower extremities of the key stems 44 and the width of each opening is such as to freely but snugly pass the legs 70 and 72 and the key stems. It will also be noted that the upstanding leg 66 of the angle member 62 is disposed in opposed relationship to the row of key stems 44 and serves to retain the main body portions 78 of the actuators 68 substantially as is shown. The lower extremities of the legs 70 and 72 are respectively provided with horizontally projecting finger portions 80 and 82 which underlie the channel leg 38 and thus prevent the withdrawal of the actuators when the parts are in the assembled position. It will be noted, however, that the individual actuators may be inserted in place prior to installation of the key stems 44, and that when the key stems 44 are in place, they serve to maintain the actuators in assembled position. It is a feature of this invention that the length of each of the actuators 68 is commensurate with the center-to-center spacing between adjacent key stems 44 and it will be noted that the upper corners of each of the actuators are rounded as indicated by reference characters 84 and 86. Each of the key stems 44 is provided with an outwardly struck tongue portion 88 having a rounded nose which is adapted, when the key is depressed, to engage one of these rounded corners and by interposition between adjacent actuators 68 in the associated train of actuators to cause movement of a portion of the train as will hereinafter more clearly appear.

It will be noted that by providing the actuators 68 in close adjacency to the key stems 44 and by confining the reaction force of the actuators 68 against the depression of the key stems 44 essentially along a line coinciding with the center line of the key stern, very little tendency to binding of the key stem is inherent in the arrangement.

It will also be noted that the length of each of the openings 76 is equal to substantially twice the width of the two legs 70 and 72 plus the width of the tongue 88. A spring device 90, see FIG. 3, engages the leg 82 of the end actuator 68 and serves to urge the entire train of actuators in a direction away from the row-to-row interlock mechanism indicated generally by the reference character 92. As will be evident from FIG. 8, when a key stem 44 is depressed, as is shown in that figure, all actuators 68 lying between such key stem and the row-to-row interlock mechanism 92 will be shifted laterally as indicated so that the terminal actuator of the train enters the row-to-row interlock mechanism 92. It will be noted that in the depressed position of the key stem 44 as is shown in FIG. 8, all of the actuators are now so positioned that another key stem in that row cannot be depressed since, as aforesaid, the length of the openings 76 will permit only one tongue 88 at any given time to be interposed within the train.

The row-to-row interlock mechanism preferably consists of a U-shaped channel member 94 having its bight portion provided with notches as at 95 in registry with the end actuators 68 whereby to permit entrance of such end actuator into the interior of the channel member 94. Between the legs of the channel member 94 and spaced from the bight portion thereof is a bar element 96 which is preferably affixed in place by the same fastener elements 98 which serve to mount the row-to-row interlock mechanism, the space between the bar 96 and the bight of the channel 94 deninig a raceway for the operative elements of the rowtorow interlock mechanism. These operative elements preferably comprise a pair of ball members 100 and 102 for each of the end actuators 68 and intervening spacer elements 104 interposed between adjacent pairs of balls, substantially as is shown in FIG. 7. The opposite ends of the bar 96 are widened to close the opposite ends of the raceway as aforementioned and adjustment screws 106 and 108 are engaged in these widened portions of the bar 96 to adjust the total movement permitted of the elements of the row-to-row interlock mechanism. If this adjustment is such as to permit the entrance of only one of the end actuators 68 to the exclusion of any other simultaneous entrance, only one key in the entire bank of keys may be depressed at any given instant. A particular advantage of this type of construction is that the elements of the row-torow interlock mechanism 92 may conveniently be constructed to accommodate for any spacing between adjacent row assemblies 26, 28, 30, 32 and 34. In the specific example shown, the spacers 104 are simply formed to the proper lengths to accommodate for such arrangement, it being noted, particularly in FIG. 4, that the spacing between the assemblies 26, 28, 30, 32 and 34 differs from assembly to assembly.

Thus, it will be manifest that the row interlock mechanisrn forms an integral part of each of the row assemblies and is intimately and cooperatively associated therewith, the construction being such that a simple row-to-row interlock 92 accommodates for as many rows as are needed, regardless of the spacing therebetween and is operative to permit, in combination with the row interlock mechanisms, depression 0f only one key at any given instant.

It is to be understood that certain changes and modications as illustrated and described may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

1. A keylock for punch keys positioned in a keyboard, said keyboard having keys arranged in a plurality of rows closely adjacent to `one another, a rst means operated by a punched key in one row for locking all the remaining keys in said row against operation, and a second means at one end of the keylock and comprising a series of members movable into direct contact with one another by operation of said rst means by said key for locking all the keys of the remaining rows against operation whereby only one key can be punched into operation at one time.

2. In a registering device having a bank of keys consisting of a plurality of rows thereof,

a train of interlock actuators along each row of keys,

there being one interlock actuator for each key,

a row-to-row interlock mechanism extending transversely of said rows of keys adjacent the end actuators of the several trains and including guide means defining a channel of predetermined length and a series of members slidably received in said channel and incompletely filling the length thereof by an amount equal to the thickness of an end actuator,

means normally urging all actuators of each train in a direction away from said interlock mechanism,

and means on each key for moving the interlock actuator corresponding to the key and all other interlock actuators in the associated train lying between the interlock mechanism and the stated interlock actuator toward said interlock mechanism and interposing the end actuator of t-he stated train within said series of members in response to Adepression of the stated key whereby all of the remaining keys of said bank are locked against depression.

3. In a registering device having plural key rows disposed in parallelism, each row containing a plurality of individually depressible keys,

a train of abutting actuators for each key row and arranged in parallelism therewith, there being an actuator for each key in a row,

means on each key for interposition between adjacent actuators in an associated train in response to key depression 'to shift all actuators beyond the depressed key in a direction toward one end of the train,

the terminal actuator at said one end of each train presenting an end edge, with all of said end edges normally lying in a common plane normal to the key rows,

an interlock mechanism disposed adjacent said end edges of the actuator trains and adapted to be entered by t-he terminal actuator of each train in response to depression of a key in any row, said mechanism including a series of members movable into direct contact with one another in response to entrance by a terminal actuator to limit the number of terminal actuator entrances which may be made simultaneously.

4. In a registering device `having plural key rows disposed in parallelism, each row containing a plurality of individually depressible keys,

a train of abutting actuators for each key row and arranged in parallelism therewith, there being an actuator for each key in a row,

means on each key for interposition between adjacent actuators in an associated train in response to key depression to shift all actuators beyond the depressed key in a direction toward one end of the train,

the terminal actuator at said one end of each train presenting an end edge, with all of said end edges normally lying in a common plane normal to the key rows,

an interlock mechanism disposed adjacent said end edges of the actuator trains and adapted to be entered by the terminal actuator of each train in response to depression of a key in any row, said mechanism including a series of members movable into direct contact with one another in response to entrance by a terminal actuator to limit the number of terminal actuator entrances w-hich may be made simultaneously,

and means mounting said actuators of each train for preventing simultaneous depression of plural keys in one row.

5. In a registering device, in combination,

a mounting plate,

a key row frame Amember depending from said mounting plate and including a leg member disposed in spaced parallelism with said mounting plate, said mounting plate and said leg member being provided with aligned rows of openings, with the openings in said leg member being wider than the openings in said mounting plate,

a plurality of keys slidably received in said openings,

an interlock actuator for each key, each actuator having a body portion provided with depending legs at its opposite ends, said legs being disposed in adjacent openings in said leg member with said body portion bridging therebetween,

means urging said actua-tors in one direction to abut in end-to-end relation and form an actuator train,

each key having a tongue adapted to be interposed within said train of actuators in response to depression lof the key Ito shift one end of the train,

and a row-to-row interlock mechanism disposed adjacent said one end of the train and including a series of members movable into direct contact with one another in response to shifting of any actuator train for locking all the remaining actuator trains against shifting.

6. In a registering device, in combination,

a mounting plate,

a key row frame member depending from said mounting plate and including a leg member disposed in spaced .parallelism with said mounting plate, said mounting plate and said leg member being provided with aligned rows of openings, with the openings in said leg member being wider than the openings in sai-d mounting plate,

a plurality of keys slidably received in said openings,

a guide member secured to said leg member providing an upstanding wall extending along said leg member adjacent -said row of openings therein,

an interlock actuator for each key, each actuator having a body portion slidably embraced between a pair of said keys and an opposed portion of said upstanding wall of the guide member, and having depending legs at its opposite ends -disposed in adjacent openings in said leg member,

means urging said actuators in One direction to abut in end-to-end relation and form an actuator train,

each key lhaving a tongue adapted to be interposed within said train of actuators in response to depression of the key to shift one end of the train,

and a row-to-row interlock mechanism disposed adjacent said one end of the train and including a series of members movable into direct contact with one another in response to shifting of any actuator train for locking all the remaining actuator trains against shifting.

7. In a registering device, in combination,

a mounting plate,

a key row frame member depending from said mounting plate and including a leg member disposed in spaced parallelism with said mounting plate, said mounting plate and said leg member being provided with aligned rows of openings, with the openings in said leg member being wider than the openings in ,said mounting plate,

a plurality of keys slidably received in said openings,

' a guide member secured to said leg member providing an upstanding wall extending along said lleg member adjacent said row of openings therein,

an interlock actuator for each key, each actuator having a body portion slidably embraced between a pair of said keys and an opposed portion of said upstanding wall of the guide member, and having depending legs at its opposite ends disposed in adjacent openings in said leg member,

means urging said actuators in one direction to abut in end-to-end relation and form an actuator train,

each key having a tongue adapted to be interposed within said train of actuators in response to depression of the key to shift one end of the train.

8-. In a registering device, in combination,

a mounting plate,

a key row frame member depending from said mounting plate and including a leg member disposed in spaced parallelism with said mounting plate, said mounting plate and sai-d leg member being provided with aligned rows of openings, with the openings in said leg member being wider than the openings in said mounting plate,

a plurality of keys slidably received in said openings,

an interlock actuator for each key, each actuator having a body portion provided with depending legs at its opposite ends, said legs being disposed in adjacent openings in said leg member with said body portion bridging therebetween,

means urging said actuators in one direction to abut References Cited in end-to-end relation and form an actuator train, UNITED STATES PATENTS eaoh key having a tongue adapted to be interposed 481037 8/1892 Knapp et al 235 26 within said train of actuators in response to depres- 590946 9/1897 Hess "`2`35 26 X sion `of the key to shift one end of the train, 898114 9/1908 Keipe1`, 235 54 and a IOW-tO'I'OW IIGIIOCK mechanism dSpOSCd ad- 2014432 9/1935 Gerhold 235 146 jacent said one end of the train and including a series 2,935,577 5 /1960 Dumke et al 253 145 X of members movable into direct contact with one 3,024,988 3/1962 Wagemarm 23S- 145 another in response to shifting of any actuator train 3,069,674 12/1962 MacNeill et al. 235--145 X for locking all the remaining actuator trains against 10 3,152,759 1071964 May 235-145 Shifting 3,207,429 9/ 1965 Crossland et al. 235--145 X said openings in the leg member being of a length sub- RICHARD B WILKINSON Primary Examiner stantially equal to the widths of the two actuator legs disposed therein plus the width of said tongue. 15 STANLEY A' WAL Assistant Examiner 

1. A KEYLOCK FOR PUNCH KEYS POSITIONED IN A KEYBOARD, SAID KEYBOARD HAVING KEYS ARRANGED IN A PLURALITY OF ROWS CLOSELY ADJACENT TO ONE ANOTHER, A FIRST MEANS OPERATED BY A PUNCHED KEY IN ONE ROW FOR LOCKING ALL THE REMAINING KEYS IN SAID ROW AGAINST OPERATION, AND A SECOND MEANS AT ONE END OF THE KEYLOCK AND COMPRISING A SERIES OF MEMBERS MOVABLE INTO DIRECT CONTACT WITH ONE ANOTHER BY OPERATION OF SAID FIRST MEANS BY SAID KEY FOR LOCKING ALL THE KEYS OF THE REMAINING ROWS AGAINST OPERATION WHEREBY ONLY ONE KEY CAN BE PUNCHED INTO OPERATION AT ONE TIME. 